City Champs
| 21 June 2010
By Derek Harryman
Sports Editor,
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
There weren’t any surprises in the Manchester City Championship game Tuesday night at Fred Deadman Park; the top team all year walked away with the championship plaque.
People’s Bank finished the Manchester Little League season 18-2 after a 10-7 win over Power's Storage in the City Championship game.
Colby Rinderknecht got things started for People’s in the bottom of the first inning when he popped a three run homer of the right field fence. Alex Hobbs also scored in the half-inning, making the score 4-0 People's heading into the second.
“I think that (the home run) helped with our momentum and gave our team confidence. Us going up 3-0 right there shifted the momentum in our direction,” said Manager John Duncan after the game.
While People’s led the entire game, it was not without fireworks. Heading into the sixth inning, People’s Bank led 10-3, but Power’s Jamie Walker and Cody Howes each hit home runs in the inning to make things interesting. it was Howes second homer of the game.
“Going into the sixth inning we had a comfortable lead, I felt confident with a seven run lead in the top of the sixth that we wouldn’t have to bat in the bottom of the inning,” said Duncan. “I told the boys to just keep the ball in front of them and get the outs, it didn’t matter if they scored two or three runs. Then they came out and hit two homers and scored four runs but we maintained our composure and got the outs we needed to.”
Kohl Young got the start on the mound for People’s pitching four and 2/ 3 innings and earning the win.
“Kohl Young went on probably a once in a lifetime opportunity to take a cruise to Alaska so we made a deal with him that we would win the final game of the season and the first two tournament games so he could pitch one more time, but he had to come in and do his job. It all worked out we did our part and he did his. He pitched an excellent game,” said Duncan.
Walker got the start on the mound for Powers and despite getting hit hard early made it into the fourth inning.
Calin Hobbs worked in relief for People’s Bank and got the job done despite giving up two homers in the final stanza.
“Calin has come in during clutch situations all year long and pulled us out. In the championship game he came in with two outs, bases loaded and facing the leadoff batter and he got out of the inning without giving up a run. We told him going into the top of the sixth, not to worry about it if they hit a home run, and he kept his cool and kept doing what we asked him too and eventually it paid off,” added Duncan.
Duncan said he though the championship game lived up to the billing. People’s Bank and Powers were the two top teams in the American League all season and the title game was the fourth meeting between the two.
“I thought it was a classic Little League game between two really good teams who were both prepared well for the game. There were two good pitchers going at it from the beginning of the game and when you are thinking of youth baseball I don’t think it could have gotten any better than that. The weather was good, there was a good crowd and it was just a well played game.”
Powers Storage
HR - C. Howes (2), J. Walker
RBI - C. Howes (3), G. Sadler, J. Walker (3)
Runs - Stone Brown (2), C. Howes (2), G. Sadler, J. Walker (2)
Peoples Bank
HR - N. Anderson, C. Rinderknecht
RBI - N. Anderson, A. Hobbs, T. Lashlee, C. McKenzie, C. Rinderknecht (3)
Runs - N. Anderson, A. Hobbs (2), T. Lashlee, C. McKenzie, C. Rinderknecht (2), K. Young (2), N. Stem
